Summer Camp & Special Events

Ready for camp!? We provide overnight and day camps for children ages 5-15. There will be age appropriate Bible lessons, fun activities, outdoor adventure, and a community of staff and campers coming together for an amazing experience. Check out the weeks available below & consider registering today or getting on one of our wait lists.

Camp Activities

Camp Map

Camps/Dates

WEEK 1: June 16-20

Teen Camp (ages 12-15)

WEEK 2: June 23-27

Pre-Teen Camp (ages 10-12)

WEEK 3: June 30-July 2

Discovery Camp (ages 5-8)

WEEK 4: July 6-11

Connect Camp (ages 7-13)
Wilderness Boys (ages 10-13)

WEEK 5: July 14-18*

Quest Camp (ages 6-10) *
Wilderness Girls (ages 10-13)

WEEK 6: July 21-25*

Extreme Camp (ages 10-13)*

*Day Camp option available for Quest Camp and Extreme Camps

Select the Tabs to see more about each camp

Download Camp Flyer with Summer Dates & Descriptions

Teen Camp Week

Ages 12-15 June 16-20

This is for our oldest campers! They will be able to enjoy all the fun camp activities but there are a lot of ways for teens to interact in deep and meaningful conversations with their cabin mates & cabin leaders. The program will include special activities throughout the week designed specifically for teens including some advanced programs, fun challenges, & some evening games to keep them engaged.

Teen campers will plan on starting their day at about 8am (with breakfast at 8:30) and then stay up as late as 11 pm with activities.

Campers will be placed in cabin groups of 5-9 campers. Many of the activities will take place within the established cabin groups, but there are also times where campers get free choice to do activities. We also have our big game time, a.k.a. Organized Mass Chaos, in which campers get placed in mixed cabin groups to compete in weeklong competitions. At our camp meetings, all the campers will come together for worship singing, skits, and messages. Campers are also expected to have a morning quiet time to participate in devotions and some down time in the afternoon to recoup and relax.

Boys typically stay in the tree house cabins which have electricity...but no air conditioning. The bathhouse, a.k.a. BIG JOHN, is located down the path away from the cabins.

Girls stay in the dorm cabins (which do have air conditioning and bathrooms attached). Their bathrooms are commonly shared with another cabin within the same building.

Pricing/Tiers

Overnight Camp $350 / $375 / $400

All tiers offer the same services but the higher tier best represents the actual cost of camp. Families may choose lower tiers to better fit with their budget. The lower tiers utilize scholarship money to offset the cost. There are some Full or Partial scholarships available for those in need. Applications available here.

Day Camp Option:

Quest Camp (ages 7-9) July 14-18

Extreme Camp (ages 10-13) July 21-25

Both our Quest and Extreme camps offer an overnight or days only option. The bulk of the programming takes place between 9am-4pm but with activities running until 8pm each day. Those coming for just the day will be dropped off daily between 7:30-8:50 and picked up by 8 pm each day. All three meals are available each day. Parents can coordinate with camp for earlier pick-up times throughout the week.

Once on-site, campers will have specific cabin groups (between 5-9 campers) and counselors assigned to them. The expectation is that they will be able to be engage with the program as much as they can to gain the full experience (especially when interacting as cabin groups). The longer days allow for more programming options and camp experiences that we feel are special for the campers.

Many of the activities will take place within the established cabin groups, but there are also times where campers get free choice to do activities. We also have our big game time, a.k.a. Organized Mass Chaos, in which campers get placed in mixed cabin groups to compete in weeklong competitions. At our camp meetings, all the campers will come together for worship singing, skits, and messages. Campers are also expected to have a morning quiet time to participate in devotions and some down time in the afternoon to recoup and relax.

Please note that Day Campers will not have the option of switching to Overnight Camp if overnight registration is full.

Pricing/Tiers

Day Camp Only $225 / $250 / $275

Discovery Camp

Ages 5-8 June 30 - July 2

This camp is a short 3-day/2-night camp for young ones that want a taste of overnight camp but maybe cannot handle a full week. The program is packed with fun activities & lessons ready for your child to discover.

Both the boys and girls will plan to stay in the dorm cabins (which do have air conditioning and bathrooms attached). Their bathrooms are commonly shared with another cabin within the same building.

If number of campers exceed the dorm space, there is a chance that boys may move into the tree house cabins which have electricity...but no air conditions. The bathhouse, a.k.a. BIG JOHN, is located down the path away from the cabins.

Pricing/Tiers

Discovery Camp $125 / $150 / $175

Wilderness Camp

Wilderness Boys Camp 10-13 July 6-11

Wilderness Girls Camp 10-13 July 14-18*

At this camp, 8 children (boys and girls separate weeks) will spend the week in the camp woods; sleeping on cots in a primitive cabin & even spending one night tent camping. All the activities are designed to challenge the children to grow in their relationship with their Savior, Jesus Christ! They get to do many of the same activities (like swimming) but also learn wilderness skills such as compass orienteering, learning how to tie knots, rappelling, fire-building, and some special activities like night zipping!!

*due to uncertain staff commitments, those wishing to register for the Wilderness Girls camp may be put on a wait list until confirmations are made.

Pricing/Tiers

Wilderness Camp $300 / $325 / $350

Pre-Teen Camp Week

Ages 10-12 June 23-27

This camp offers an immersed time of community building, fun activities, and teaching times. All our activities are ideal for this age group. Campers will get a good mix of high interactive games and meaningful discussions with the cabin leaders.

Pre-teen campers will plan on starting their day at about 7:30am (with breakfast at 8:00) and then stay up as late as 10 pm with activities.

Boys typically stay in the tree house cabins which have electricity...but no air conditioning. The bathhouse, a.k.a. BIG JOHN, is located down the path away from the cabins.

Girls stay in the dorm cabins (which do have air conditioning and bathrooms attached). Their bathrooms are commonly shared with another cabin within the same building.

Pricing/Tiers

Overnight Camp $350 / $375 / $400

Quest Camp Week

Ages 7-9 July 14-18

*Day Camp Option is available for this week of camp*

For our younger (yet adventurous!) campers, the camp will have a lot of fun activities designed specifically for their age's abilities to learn and play. This is a great introduction to concepts of camp and a faith in God. Campers can also learn how to engage with others and have some wacky fun along the way.

Quest campers will plan on starting their day at about 7:30 am (with breakfast at 8:00) and then stay up as late as 9 pm with activities.

Campers will be placed in cabin groups of 5-9 campers. Many of the activities will take place within the established cabin groups, but there are also times where campers get free choice to do activities. We also have our big game time, a.k.a. Organized Mass Chaos, in which campers get placed in mixed cabin groups to compete in weeklong competitions. At our camp meetings, all the campers will come together for worship singing, skits, and messages. Campers are also expected to learn how to have a morning quiet time. This age group typically has shared devotions at least once a day and some down time in the afternoon to recoup and relax.

Boys typically stay in the tree house cabins which have electricity...but no air conditioning. The bathhouse, a.k.a. BIG JOHN, is located down the path away from the cabins.

Girls stay in the dorm cabins (which do have air conditioning and bathrooms attached). Their bathrooms are commonly shared with another cabin within the same building.

Pricing/Tiers

Quest Camp $300 / $325 / $350

Extreme Camp Week

Ages 10-13 July 21-25

*Day Camp option is available for this week of camp*

All the activities are turned up a notch for these older campers. There are more active games, deeper discussions about faith, and more engagement with social development & teamwork.

Extreme campers will plan on starting their day at about 7:30 am (with breakfast at 8:00) and then stay up as late as 10 pm with activities.

Boys typically stay in the tree house cabins which have electricity...but no air conditioning. The bathhouse, a.k.a. BIG JOHN, is located down the path away from the cabins.

Girls stay in the dorm cabins (which do have air conditioning and bathrooms attached). Their bathrooms are commonly shared with another cabin within the same building.

Pricing/Tiers

Extreme Camp $300 / $325 / $350

Connect Camp Week

Ages 7-13 July 6-11

This camp offers the widest age range for families or friends who want to attend the same week but would otherwise be in different age groups. This camp offers all the same fun activities but with some accommodations to the various ages. This is also the only camp which will run from Sunday afternoon to Friday at noon.

Connect campers will plan on starting their days at about 7:30am (with breakfast at 8:00) and then stay up as late as 9:30 pm with activities.

Boys typically stay in the tree house cabins which have electricity...but no air conditioning. The bathhouse, a.k.a. BIG JOHN, is located down the path away from the cabins.

Girls stay in the dorm cabins (which do have air conditioning and bathrooms attached). Their bathrooms are commonly shared with another cabin within the same building.

Pricing/Tiers

Overnight Camp $350 / $375 / $400

Scholarship Application

Dietary Need Form

FAQ

Packing List

Camp Schedule

Camp Information

Registration & Departure

Camp Registration will take place on Monday mornings or Sunday afternoons depending on the week of camp. Some camps have a Day Camp option which has drop off time between 7:30-8:45 am daily with pick up going as late at 8pm (some flexibility with pick up times).

No deduction is allowed for late arrival or early departure. Parents, please do not bring pets to Camp at any time. The Camp circle is One-Way only. Please enter at Camp sign and park in available parking spaces. Exit will be down by the pool.

Code of Conduct

All campers are expected to follow our Camp Rules. The Camp Director reserves the right to dismiss any camper whose conduct is detrimental to the overall good for the camp. In cases of misconduct, parents/guardians will be required to pick up the camper immediately and no refund will be made.

Dress Code

All clothing should honor God. If you think it might be a little too low-cut, high-cut, see-through, cling-to, or questionable, don’t bring it.

Spaghetti straps, bare stomachs, words across your bottom, ripped sleeves/sides that show your chest/stomach, low pants that show your bottom/underwear, and questionable advertisements are inappropriate.

Shorts and skirts should be approaching the knee in length.

Males swimming trunks must be the shorts type (no speedos)

Female swimming suits must be one-piece or tankinis that touch in the middle (no bikinis)

Keeping in Touch

Campers love to receive letters and packages. Any packages/letters must be mailed correctly to camp. Any packages/letters left in our mailbox, without proper postage, will be disposed of. If you send any food items in the mail, please see the Food Policies below.

Campers are able to buy envelopes and stamps in the Camp Store for 75¢.

Campers are not permitted to use the phone or email.

If you must get a message to your camper, please contact the camp office and your message will be relayed to his/her counselor at meal times

Food Policies

Meals

All campers are expected to eat the main course at meal times (sides, veggies, etc, are not required). If you have a picky camper, please talk through this policy with your child. Sun butter and Jelly will be offered as a option at every meal. The camper will be expected to eat either the main course or the SB&J Sandwich. If the camper refuses both, we will make a phone call home. If you are unable to convince the camper to eat, you will be required to pick up the camper immediately and no refund will be given.

Snacks/Packages

Campers are not allowed to bring snacks to camp because we have no space to store them.

Any food items sent in mail/packages will be expected to be eaten during that meal time. Anything that is unfinished will be disposed of in the dining hall. So don’t send a ton of food, or entire cake, etc as it will go to waste.

Any gum will be thrown away. Gum is not permitted at Camp.

Canteen/Camp Store

Campers are only allowed to buy 3 food items (not including honey sticks) from the Canteen/Camp Store per day. We do our best to control this, but sometimes campers will return to buy more and our staff do not recognize that.

Homesickness

Our counselors, nurse, and staff are all prepared to help your camper through homesickness issues. Here at Camp Good News, we have a 3-Step Plan for Homesickness:

Step 1 - When the camper informs someone they are homesick, we will do what we can to help that camper out.

Step 2 - If the camper continues to complain of homesickness, we will make a phone call home so that you may attempt to help your child feel better. Phone calls will be limited to under 10 min (we have learned that Campers stall as long as they can)

Step 3 - If the camper continues to complain of homesickness after the phone call, they will be sent home. Parents will be required to pick up the camper immediately and no refund will be given.

Remember that campers take their cue from you as the parents. Please prepare them ahead of time by encouraging them to make new friends, talk to counselors, etc. Try not to be nervous yourself, especially as you register your camper and leave him/her with their counselor.

Check out other great tips below

Lost Items

Camp Good News is not responsible for lost or stolen items. Please mark or tag all items. This includes towels (we find more towels than any other item each week that go unclaimed)

Lost & Found items must be claimed within a week of camp departure and arrangements must be made to pick up items. After that, they will be donated to charity.

Lost or broken Camp Store purchases will not be replaced

Typical Day of Camp

Different camps may alter the times and order of the events, but here is a relative schedule of what might take place on a given day:

Wake up & Showers

Breakfast

Personal quiet time in cabin
- Campers are lead through how to do their own devotions (reading the Bible & study) and have personal time with prayer/journaling
Cabin Clean Up
Morning Meeting Chapel
- All campers meet to go through a Bible verse & a challenge for the day
Electives/Skills Session:
- Camper's choose from a selection of activities that help to teach a new skill; like arts & crafts, sports, performance, wilderness & outdoor skills, or just something random and fun
Large Camp Game
- The full camp has a chance to participate in some crazy or intense competitions in which all the cabins will mix to create new teams for the week

Lunch

Afternoon Rotations:
- Cabin Rest Time,
- Swimming & Snack Shack
- Cabin Activity Time
  - Cabins try various activities throughout the week like zip-line, archery, giant swing, games, or teambuilding

Dinner

Free Time: (various open activities & Snack Shack)
Evening Chapel Time:
- All campers meet to go through an age appropriate lesson, upbeat songs, and usually some fun skits or activities
Evening Activity
- usually something fun or a chill time around the campfire
Cabin Time/Ready for Bed

Typical Day of Camp for Day Campers

Different camps may alter the times and order of the events, but here is a relative schedule of what might take place on a given day:

7:30 - 8:50 Drop-off Time

Breakfast @ 8:00 (optional)

Personal quiet time in cabin

Campers are lead through how to do their own devotions (reading the Bible & study) and have personal time with prayer/journaling

Morning Meeting Chapel

All campers meet to go through an age appropriate lesson, upbeat songs, and usually some fun skits or activities

Electives/Skills Session:

Camper's choose from a selection of activities that help to teach a new skill; like arts & crafts, sports, performance, wilderness & outdoor skills, or just something random and fun

Large Camp Game

The full camp has a chance to participate in some crazy or intense competitions in which all the cabins will mix to create new teams for the week.

Lunch @ noon

Afternoon Rotations:
- Cabin Rest Time,
- Swimming & Snack Shack
- Cabin Activity Time

Cabins try various activities throughout the week like zip-line, archery, giant swing, games, or teambuilding

Dinner @ 5:30

Evening Activity/Free Time
Evening Chapel Time:

All campers meet to go through a Bible verse & review the day

Program Done by 8pm for pick-up

(alternative pick-up times can be arranged)

What to Bring to Camp

Bible
Pencil
Notebook
Bedding (Sleeping Bag, Sheets, Blanket, etc)
Pillow
Toiletries (shampoo, Toothpaste, etc)
Clothes (include clothing that can get very muddy)
Jeans/Long Pants for Hiking
Pajamas
2 Pairs of Shoes (include one pair that can get very muddy)
Towel
Swimsuit (Males: Trunk Type, no speedos) (Females: One-piece or Tankini that touches in middle, no bikinis)
Sunscreen
Water Bottle
Insect Repellent
Washcloth
Soap
Jacket
Any Necessary Medication (must be turned into nurse)

DO NOT BRING:

Any Electronic Equipment (ipods, game systems, cell phones, etc)
Any Tobacco, Alcohol, Illegal Drugs, Marijuaua, or Vape Products (Includes Parents/Guardians while on Campus)
Any Fireworks, Weapons, Matches, or Lighter (Includes Parents/Guardians while on Campus)
Pets (Includes Parents/Guardians while on Campus)
Any candy, snacks, or drinks.
Anything of significant value that may become lost or broken.

packing list

Frequently Asked Question (FAQ)

How many campers are there?

We have approximately 50 campers at camp at one time. It's a pretty even mix of boys and girls. There are about 8-10 campers per cabin.

What kind of food will I eat?

All are food is kid friendly. We mix it up everyday and have a really good variety. A camp favorite is the pizza night where each cabin gets to order their pizzas and pick their favorite toppings.

What are the counselors like?

Camp Good News has some of the best counselors around. Most of our counselors were once campers like you. They were then chosen to become SALTs (Service and Leadership Trainees) and then Junior Counselors. So by the time our counselors become counselors, they know how to make Camp pretty amazing!

Can I bring my iPod, iPad, cell phone, or other electronics?

We encourage you to "unplug" for your camp adventure! If you choose to bring a cell phone or other "internet accessible" device, it will be collected upon arrival and stored in the camp office until you leave. We'd really prefer that these devices were simply left at home.

What is there to do at Camp?

Archery, BBs, Slingshots, Fun Games, Zipline, and so much more! Click on the Activities link or the Map link to see all the fun things there are to do at Camp.

How much money should I bring to Camp?

All money is in your “online bank" so your child doesn't risk losing it. During the week, you can visit The Bee Hive Sugar Shack, The Owl’s Nest Camp Store, and the Craft Room. Most items in The Bee Hive are $1 with some of our bigger items being $2. Items in The Owl’s Nest cost anywhere from $1 to $20. The Craft Room has Free Crafts as well as crafts that cost anywhere from $1 to $5. We recommend you bring about $30 for the week. Any money not spent during the week, your parent has the option to give that money to our Missions offering or leave in your UltraCamp account.

What if I miss my parents?

Missing your parents is natural! Everyone misses home at some point in their life, regardless of how old they are. Our staff is really good at helping you to get over this feeling if it happens to you and helping you have an awesome time at camp!

Where do the campers come from?

Our campers come from all over Illinois and sometime other states too!

Can I request my friends to be in my cabin?

Yes. Please do this on the camper registration form. We do very well at making sure you get your requested Cabin Buddy.

Will I have fun at Camp?

If you are coming to Camp Good News, be prepared for the best week you've ever had! You'll be talking about this Camp for Years. (Seriously, your grandkids will probably ask you to stop!)

Have more questions about camp not listed here? Feel free to give us a call or shoot us an email.

FAQ